The latest news stories in the Klamath Basin and around the state of Oregon from Wynne Broadcasting’s KFLS News/Talk 1450AM/102.5FM, BasinLife.com and The Herald & News.
THURSDAY, MARCH 19, 2020
Klamath Basin Weather
Today
Mostly sunny, with a high near 52.
Friday
Sunny, with a high near 55.
Saturday
Sunny, with a high near 58.
Sunday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 57.
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Lake of the Woods Hiway 140
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Chemult, Oregon
LaPine, Oregon
Bly, Oregon
Medford at I-5 -Biddle Road & Crater Lake Parkway
Today’s Headlines
The Oregon Health Authority is reporting two more deaths in Oregon due to the COVID-19 coronavirus.
A 60-year-old woman in Lane County died at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center on March 14, while a 71-year-old man in Washington County died at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center on March 17. Both had underlying medical conditions, OHA said.
So far, only one person has been diagnosed with Covid-19 in Klamath County.
The Lane County woman tested positive for COVID-19 on March 17, after her death. The Washington County man had a positive test result the day before his death, on March 16.
Ten new cases were confirmed statewide Wednesday. They were in Benton, Lane, Marion, Washington, and Yamhill counties. That brings the state total to 75.
According to local health authorities the Klamath County resident who tested positive for the COVID-19 Coronavirus less than two weeks ago has recovered. That’s the word today from Klamath County Public Health Program Coordinator, Valeree Lane.
“We are not releasing where in Klamath County that person resides, nor are we providing an age range. I have had many phone calls about this; I am keeping the person’s identity as vague as possible to protect them. There is a great deal of stigmatism globally, and my fellow residents will need to trust that they are safe. No one’s health has been compromised, and it is a matter of integrity to protect this person. Those asking for specifics would want the same for themselves or their family,” Lane said in an email. “Contact tracing for the individual, who contracted the virus through travel, was completed before the positive test was announced. The community was never exposed to the virus through this individual.”
Lane also explained more about the county’s COVID-19 Coronavirus testing. She said Public Health doesn’t know how many people are being tested in the area for the virus as private labs also test the kits, in addition to the Oregon state lab due to a backlog of tests.
West coast labs, including the University of Washington’s lab, Lab Corp and Quest lab are testing for the virus and don’t need to go through public health to do so. Still, KCPH says they would be notified of any tests from the county that returned positive.
The basin’s recovered case is the only confirmed case of COVID-19 as of Wednesday afternoon.
Health providers are limiting testing to people who are severely sick, Lane said, due to a limited number of testing kits and the exposure risk an office visit creates.
The Oregon State Public Health Lab guidance for who should be tested requires that people be in “clinical need of admission” into an in-patient facility, evidence of a viral respiratory disease and have tested negative for the flu.
Still Lane said there will be people who don’t develop symptoms at all or people who develop mild symptoms. A group of less than 20% will develop more severe flu symptoms with 2% developing really severe respiratory issues. Those people are often people older than 60 and with underlying health conditions.
One of the best things to do, Lane said, even for those who might not be at high risk themselves, is to be thoughtful about contact with older people, especially if someone is sick. If someone has symptoms of COVID-19 but a doctor doesn’t order a test for them after they have passed a flu test, Lane said they can be asked to stay home and not return to work until 72 hours after symptoms resolve. Ultimately, there is no real treatment for the virus other than rest.
She said physicians are “being thoughtful” in who they are testing, so she thinks we’re in a pretty good place in terms of the number of test kits available.
Sky Lakes spokesperson Tom Hottman said providers at Sky Lakes are being “judicious” about who they’re testing with the limited number of kits.
He said those who come to Sky Lakes with flu-like symptoms are given a mask and being isolated in the original Cascades East Family Medicine building. In addition to being tested for the flu, doctors can also run a BioFire panel, which tests for 20 other illnesses, including other Coronaviruses. The COVID-19 Coronavirus is not part of a BioFire, but doctors can chose to run a COVID test if even the panel returns negative.
Sky Lakes also has a negative-pressure room, which recycles air outside of the building instead of throughout the rest of the hospital’s ventilation system. This is recommended by public health at facilities that will test for COVID-19.
The COVID-19 test is a nasal swab, as is a flu test, and it is taking three to seven days to get the results back for the state lab as of Wednesday afternoon. The evaluation period used to be 24 hours, Lane said, but with the demand on testing that number had risen. The state lab also tests for any communicable diseases, including things like rabies tests from dog bites.
Sky Lakes CEO Paul Stewart said in an email from Hottman: “Conclusions from conversations I’ve had with state government officials and my colleagues at other hospitals are clear: Our strategies must be bold and immediate. Based upon the experiences of our peers to the north in Washington, taking a wait-and-see attitude hoping this will pass us by will come back to haunt us. Our best defense against a disastrous spread of this disease is isolating the chances of exposure.”
Stewart created a special task force at the medical center to organize the center’s response.
“I know our staff are committed to doing the right thing and will pull together to help us through this on behalf of our community. Be calm and prudent, but please take this situation very seriously,” Stewart said. “The COVID-19 pandemic is unprecedented but not unexpected, and Sky Lakes will be ready.”
Lane wants people to know that “your doctor or health provider is not dismissing you if you’re not getting a COVID test.” Instead, she said a provider might be saving the tests and office resources for someone sicker. She said instead, people should consider it “a badge of honor” to not be tested because it means the doctor thinks the person is healthy enough and will be fine.
She assured people that “we have a really good medical center here and there’s a team of people working behind the scenes to keep Klamath County safe.”
Those worried about being in contact with someone they believe has the virus, Lane said people are only at high risk if they have been in contact with someone for over an hour in a proximity smaller than six feet.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, “It may be possible that a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes, but this is not thought to be the main way the virus spreads.”
Hottman said Sky Lakes is “okay” on its supply of mask and other protective equipment but noted the lack of order fulfillment right now.
Lane said her office is fielding calls from people all the time with questions about the disease and how they can get tested.
People in the Klamath Basin can call public health with additional questions at 541-882-8846, but if someone needs medical attention call a physician before going into a clinic.
The COVID-19 coronavirus has spread to more than 160 countries and all 50 U.S. states. The World Health Organization (WHO) has now upgraded the virus from a public health emergency of international concern to a “pandemic” — reflecting the disease’s global reach. According to WHO, most cases of COVID-19 are mild, but about 1 in every 5 people who catch it require hospital care — making it considerably more serious than the typical influenza virus strains.
On Tuesday, Governor Kate Brown extended public school closures through April 28 as a precaution against the virus. Just a day earlier, she restricted public gatherings to a maximum of 25 people and ordered restaurants to eliminate dine-in options.
Oregon is setting up a 250-bed emergency hospital to treat patients for COVID-19, Gov. Kate Brown announced during a conference call with reporters Wednesday morning.
The hospital, called the Oregon Medical Station, is located on the state fairgrounds in Salem, Brown said. The state purchased it years ago in preparation for an emergency situation, such as a pandemic.
The hospital is expected to be ready by Friday.
The announcement falls in the wake of recent scrutiny of the state’s hospital bed capacity. Oregon has the lowest per-capita bed count in the country, with 1.6 beds per 1000 people.
Brown also said the state’s emergency coordination center is working on identifying 1,000 temporary hospital beds statewide where non-COVID-19 patients can be transferred to in order to free up space in hospitals for COVID-19 patients.
Meantime, the state of Oregon is expanding childcare benefits to support families and providers during the novel coronavirus pandemic.
Eligible families will have co-pays eliminated. The income limit will be increased from 185-percent of the federal poverty level to 250 percent. That would be an income of five-thousand-889 dollars a month for a family of four.
In an effort to help residents so they don’t find themselves in a position without City utilities, as of March 12, 2020, the City of Klamath Falls suspended utility service shut-offs temporarily.
As with other utilities, this effort does not eliminate the bill, rather it postpones it. Some residents may have received a notice in the mail about their late or non-paid bill before the decision was made. If you find yourself in that position, please call the number on your bill and speak to a Customer Account Representative.
If you find yourself in a position unable to pay, please call Utility Billing and tell them what is going on. As with some other utility providers, the City of Klamath Falls is uncertain how long this temporary effort will last as it depends on the situation as it is tied to the emergency declaration.
The Klamath Falls Gospel Mission is temporarily back under the direction of former executive director Kent Berry, and is continuing to offer free meals to the public during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Midday meals at the mission will be offered at staggered times between 11 a.m., and noon so that the facility can accommodate more individuals. Space will be limited to the beds on-hand at the mission, according to Berry.
The mission has a capacity of 40 beds for men and 14 beds for women. There are currently 15 beds available for men and one bed available for women, according to mission staff. Berry said the mission is in contact with Klamath County Public Health regarding precautions related to spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Albertsons Companies says it will reserve special hours for vulnerable shoppers at all of its stores in the U.S. during the coronavirus response, including all Safeway stores.
All Albertsons and Safeway stores will reserve at least the hours from 7 to 9 a.m. every Tuesday and Thursday for these vulnerable shoppers to get what they need, although local stores may determine other hours.
Store hours will be updated on the Albertsons and Safeway websites, where you can find a local store location for more specific information.
Klamath Union High School’s DECA business club was named DECA Chapter of the Year at statewide competition in Portland Feb. 23-25.
It was the ninth time since 2000 that KU’s chapter has won this top honor. Three students also qualified to compete at DECA’s international conference in Nashville, but won’t be able to attend, as it has been canceled due to COVID-19 concerns.
DECA’s annual Career Development Conference in Portland drew about 850 DECA members from across the state to tackle business-related challenges. KU sent 16 students this year to compete against 35 other Oregon teams.
For Chapter of the Year, KU students presented their chapter’s 2019-2020 activities in four categories: leadership development, community service, membership development and chapter promotion.
The Klamath Falls Police Department released a statement this week saying it is committed to serve the residents of Klamath Falls..
“We must all work together to slow the spread of the coronavirus in a calm and rational manner. We recognize all of us have had several new stressors added to our daily lives that must be addressed. Schools have closed, events have been cancelled, businesses have limited access to community members, etc. With these added stressors, we do not want citizens concerned about crime or personal safety.
We will continue to closely monitor the spread of the disease and the impacts on our community. The Klamath Falls Police Department has begun to implement internal measures designed to protect our staff. This will allow us to continue to serve our community without disruption. For the time being, our office will remain open and staff will be available to the public as usual. This includes all Patrol Units, the Detective Unit, Records Unit, Code Enforcement, and Parking Enforcement.
All citizen “ride alongs,” public tours, and community meetings held at the police department during the month of March have been cancelled. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to call us at (541) 883-5336.”
Aside from the Klamath Falls City Police, The City of Klamath Falls has locked all of the buildings normally open to the public as a precaution to the Covd-19 outbreak.
Residents can access the office and department they need through telephone contact or online. Essential services will continue to be provided by the Klamath Falls City Police and city utilities.
The Oregon Department of Human Services increased restrictions on visitation policies for all licensed long-term care facilities as well as residential group homes to further prevent the spread of COVID-19.
DHS is taking this action in consultation with the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) at the request of Governor Brown. OHA and DHS have determined that, given the increase in COVID-19 cases, these additional restrictions are essential to protect those at greater risk of the most severe outcomes of this disease.
The updated restrictions limit all visitors except essential medical and emergency personnel and visitors to residents who are in the end of life.
“To effectively stop the spread of this disease, we must take every action possible to slow the rates of infection, especially to individuals for whom COVID-19 is life threatening,” said OHA director Patrick Allen.
The new all-visitor restrictions apply to:
- Nursing facilities;
- Assisting living facilities;
- Residential care facilities;
- Adult foster homes; and,
- Group homes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
“We know that these restrictions are a hardship for residents of care facilities as well as their families and friends, but they are essential to mitigate the spread of disease,” said DHS Director Fariborz Pakseresht. “We encourage facilities to use technology to help residents maintain connections with their families and loved ones.”
The restrictions on all visitors are effective immediately; they follow a March 10, 2020, policy that limited visitation for long-term care facilities.
OHA continues to recommend that older adults and people with underlying conditions take the following steps to stay safe and healthy:
- Minimize contact with people who may be ill.
- Avoid community gatherings.
- Order prescriptions by mail.
- Take daily precautions: wash your hands frequently, don’t touch anywhere on your face, and clean surfaces.
Around the state of Oregon
SALEM- FROM THE STATE OF OREGON: REGARDING COVID-19 RELATED BUSINESS LAYOFFS, CLOSURES, AND UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS
The health and safety of workplaces is of utmost importance to the Oregon Employment Department, and the agency’s mission is to support business and promote employment. The Employment Department has guidance available to employers, workers, and job seekers impacted by the COVID-19 coronavirus situation.
Unemployment Insurance Benefits
The Oregon Employment Department provides Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits to most workers who are out of work through no fault of their own. To get benefits, workers must meet some requirements. In general, to claim and receive unemployment benefits for a week, workers must be available for work, able to work, and actively look for work they can do. Today the Employment Department enacted temporary rules to give more flexibility in providing unemployment benefits to COVID-19 affected workers.
Unemployment Insurance benefits are available during temporary layoffs related to COVID-19 situations. These benefits occur for employees whose employer stops operation for a short period of time, such as cleaning following a coronavirus exposure, or by government requirement. Workers can get unemployment benefits, and do not need to seek work with other employers if their place of employment will resume operations. To receive benefits, affected workers must still be able to work, stay in contact with their employer, and be available to work when called back. A full resource guide with questions and answers about specific COVID-19 coronavirus-related situations and unemployment benefits is available at Oregon.gov/employ. This site also has information for filing an online claim.
Economic Impacts
The number of initial Unemployment Insurance claims filed in Oregon rose from approximately 800 on Sunday, March 15 to a total of 18,500 on Tuesday, March 17, 2020. Although we know the COVID-19 coronavirus is causing a reduction in economic activity both nationally and in Oregon, it’s too early for unemployment rate or payroll jobs numbers to show the impact of these employment disruptions. The Employment Department will provide more information online as updated data become available.
For help finding jobs and training resources, contact your local WorkSource Oregon center or go to WorkSourceOregon.org.
To file an online claim for unemployment benefits, go to Oregon.gov/employ or call 1-877-FILE-4-UI.
Equal Opportunity program — auxiliary aids and services available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Contact: (503) 947-1794. For people who are deaf or hard of hearing, call 711 Telecommunications Relay Services.
Nike is donating $15 million to COVID-19 response efforts, the company announced Wednesday morning.
Nike co-founder Phil Knight and his wife Penny, Executive Chairman of the Board Mark Parker and wife Kathy, and President and CEO John Donahoe and wife Eileen, are personally donating a combined $10 million.
Of that donated sum, $1 million will go to the Oregon Food Bank, $2 million will go to the Oregon Community Recovery Fund created by the Oregon Community Foundation and $7 million will go to Oregon Health & Science University to improve statewide care coordination, increase patient access and improve operational readiness for expanded COVID-19 diagnostic testing.
Temporary camping closures announced for Oregon state parks, forests, and wildlife areas
SALEM, Oregon –Three Oregon state agencies will suspend camping to help reduce the spread of COVID-19.
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department will accommodate current overnight guests through April 2. Reservations for all state park stays from April 3 to and including May 8 will be canceled and site fees refunded. Before May 8, the department will review the state park campground closure to decide whether it should be extended. The decision affects all individual and group overnight facilities: campsites, yurts, cabins, tepees, and services operated by concessionaires. The suspended service also affects reservations for group day-use areas.
The Oregon Department of Forestry maintains campgrounds in the Clatsop, Santiam, and Tillamook State Forests. Most campgrounds are currently closed for the season, and will not reopen for individual or group use. Year-round campgrounds will close starting on Monday, March 23. All day-use and campground restrooms are temporarily closed due to limited janitorial services. A reopening date for all restrooms and state forest campgrounds has not yet been determined. During this time, trails, forest roads and trailheads on state forestlands will remain open to the public.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is closing its Wildlife Areas to overnight camping effective Sunday, March 22. The closure affects both dispersed camping and established campgrounds. Several wildlife areas are also currently fully or partially closed to all visitors as part of annual seasonal closures to protect wintering wildlife. While camping will be prohibited, wildlife areas that are currently open remain open to visitors for day-use activities including wildlife viewing, fishing, hunting and other outdoor recreation. See the ODFW Wildlife Area Visitor Guide for more information (link at bottom).
State park, forest, and wildlife area camping areas are built into relatively small areas by design. Maintaining social distance is difficult. Working with fewer staff and volunteers is becoming a reality, making it difficult to maintain proper cleaning procedures. To support the state goal of reducing transmission of COVID-19, temporary campground closures are necessary. The details of these actions—such as dates and affected programs—are under constant review and will change as new information develops.
This will reduce long-distance travel for many people, but all state natural resource agencies remind Oregonians that a local outdoor experience can improve our mental and physical health, especially now. Daytime activities are still widely available and encouraged. The usual reminders, plus the new COVID-19 guidelines, apply:
- Prepare for your visit with the clothing, supplies, and knowledge you need to have a safe visit.
- If you’re ill, stay home.
- Cover sneezes and coughs with a tissue (then throw it away) or inside of your elbow.
- Avoid touching your face.
- Wash regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. It’s up to you to practice good personal hygiene, and not every place at every park can be kept clean all the time.
- If place is so crowded you can’t maintain a healthy social distance—at least six feet—find a different place to go.
Know before you go:
- Travel Oregon travel alerts: https://traveloregon.com/travel-alerts/.
- State park service reductions and closures: https://bit.ly/OPRD-covid.
- Oregon Department of Forestry: https://www.oregon.gov/ODF/
- Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife: https://myodfw.com/visit-odfw-wildlife-areas
The Oregon Military Department/Oregon National Guard is providing assistance to local areas throughout the state in order to provide specialized support when needed with the COVID-19 response. Assistance ranges from Military Department Civilians providing maintenance and mechanical support, to uniformed personnel setting up facilities for civilian medical personnel.
Guardsmen have coordinated with Oregon Health Authority (OHA), the Oregon Military Department (OMD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), Department of Corrections (DOC) and other state local and non-governmental agencies.
- Lebanon, Oregon: On March 17th, The Oregon National Guard CERFP (CBRNE – Enhanced Response Force Package) unit traveled to the Oregon Veterans’ Home here and assisted by setting up large tents to be used as a temporary testing facility for COVID-19. The testing was to screen more than 200 staff and caregivers at the facility.
- Warrenton, Oregon: On March 18th, at Camp Rilea members of the Oregon Military Department, working with state maintenance and Providence Seaside Hospital maintenance crews, provided assistance with military tents at the Providence Seaside Hospital. The tents will be used for testing and triaging members of the local community who may have fallen ill from the COVID-19 virus.
- Salem, Oregon: On March 19th, The Oregon National Guardsmen will be at the Oregon State Fairgrounds to help set up medical station facilities.
Kelly Fitzpatrick, director of the Oregon Department of Veterans’ Affairs, said, “At the Lebanon Veterans’ Home, our highest priority remains the health and safety of our honored residents and hard-working staff. We are grateful to our partners at the Oregon National Guard and the Oregon Health Authority for their ongoing support in helping us continue to follow established infectious disease prevention protocols and public health guidelines.”
Oregon Army National Guard Sgt. 1st Class Matthew McCreery, assigned to the Oregon CERFP was one of the Soldiers on site to set up the tents. “We’re glad to be here to start supporting the communities of Oregon,” he explained. “As a National Guard, our mission is really to be a rapid ready force to respond to the municipalities of Oregon in any emergency or incident. Whether it’s manpower, or trucks or setting up tents to help support the communities — we’re ready to go,” said McCreery.
The Oregon Military Department is scheduled to continue assisting throughout the state in a support capacity as requested.
After a deep clean of the Oregon Lottery’s Salem headquarters, the building will open Thursday, March 19, 2020. — resuming normal operations.
The Oregon Lottery’s Salem headquarters closed Tuesday and Wednesday in response to information received regarding a non-public facing employee who is sick with flu-like symptoms and was tested for COVID-19. Lottery did not wait for the results to come in before acting. The cleaning process was completed sooner than originally anticipated, allowing for the building to reopen this week.
Press Release from the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association
Since the onset COVID-19 in Oregon, the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association (OSSA) has been coordinating an effort with our Oregon Sheriffs to share suggested practices and precautionary measures that protect the health and safety of our community members and the individuals entrusted to the care of our jails.
OSSA has held conference calls with Sheriffs, Jail and Enforcement Command level leaders within Sheriff’s Offices. During these conference calls Sheriffs and Command level leaders have discussed a wide variety of measures to protect persons in our community, individuals in our custody and our staff.
We can assure you that your Oregon Sheriffs, Jail and Enforcement Commanders are doing their absolute best to implement appropriate protocols to address the threat of COVID-19. We are working with our local law enforcement partners, the courts, district attorney’s offices and public defenders to implement changes to the entire criminal justice system which will help us manage this crisis. We are also communicating with our county health departments, the Governor’s office, the Oregon Health Authority, the Oregon Department of Corrections and emergency management agencies to ensure that we have the most current information and are implementing the latest recommended changes. These changes include a careful evaluation of who gets booked into our facilities to limit intakes, working to get low-risk offenders out of jail as soon as possible, a host of environmental precautions, what calls we respond to, practicing social distancing while being visible in the public, screening of staff and screening of individuals in our custody.
OSSA will continue to keep Sheriffs, Jail and Enforcement Commanders updated on any trends, recommended practices and information from our stakeholder organizations moving forward. We are also hosting a standing weekly conference calls for Sheriffs and Command level leadership to receive updates and share information until this health crisis subsides. We expect that information and recommendations to address this pandemic will continue to rapidly evolve, and are working diligently to remain updated and adapt.
Your Oregon Sheriffs are committed to making our communities around the state stronger and safer. With this goal in mind Sheriffs are working diligently to ensure their Offices and personnel will be here for our communities during these unprecedented times.
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